Music stand

ABSTRACT

A music stand having quick release lock for engaging a tubular support member to a plate base member where the plate base member is disposed substantially perpendicular to the tubular support member comprising, in preferred form, (a) a circular hole in the plate member in which the tubular member is received, the hole being sized to provide slip fit when the plate member and tubular member are assembled and the hole having a first center that establishes a center axis perpendicular to the plate member, (b) at least two pins mounted to the plate on opposite sides of the hole, the pins being disposed on a circle having a second center with that second center being offset a small distance relative to the first center, (c) a lock ring rotatable relative to the plate member having a pair of opposed arcuate slots engaged with the pins, the arcuate slots having a common third center which lies on the same center axis as the second center, and (d) a hole in the lock ring that establishes a fourth center, the fourth center being offset the same small distance relative to the third center as the second center is offset from the first center so that as the lock ring is rotated relative to the plate member the fourth center can move from a release position where the fourth center also lies on the same center axis as the first center to a lock position where the fourth center is offset relative to the center axis of the first center.

United States Patent .Diesbach 1 Mn 25, W72

[ 4] MUSIC STAND Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz [72] Inventor:Frederick B. Diesbach, Hamilton, Ohio Attorney wood Herron & Evans [73]Assignee: Krauth & Benninghofen, llnc., Hamilton, [57] ABsTRACT A musicstand having quick release lock for engaging a tubular [22] Filed; Jam29, 1970 support member to a plate base member where the plate basemember is disposed substantially perpendicular to the tubular PP 61917support member comprising, in preferred form, (a) a circular hole in theplate member in which the tubular member is Related Apphcauon Datareceived, the hole being sized to provide slip fit when the plate [62]Division f 739 1 0 J 6 1963 b member and tubular member are assembledand the hole havdoned. ing a first center that establishes a center axisperpendicular to the plate member, (b) at least two pins mounted to theplate 52 us. ci ..248/460, 287/20 on pp sides of the hole, the P beingdisposed on a 5 A47b 97/04 cle having a second center with that secondcenter being offset [58] Field of Search ..248/411,413,414,457,460; a ml distance relative to the first center, a lock g 287/20, 23, DIG, 8,101 rotatable relative to the plate member having a pair of opposedarcuate slots engaged with the pins, the arcuate slots [56] ReferencesCited having a common third center which lies on the same center axis asthe second center, and (d) a hole in the lock ring that UNITED STATESPATENTS establishes a fourth center, the fourth center being offset thesame small distance relative to the third center as the second I 5 2;;center is offset from the first center so that as the lock ring is?O90O00 8/1937 Ha er "248/460 rotated relative to the plate member thefourth center can 2"250495 7/1941 Milgler "287/125 move from a releaseposition where the fourth center also lies 225l253 7,194] Miner X on thesame center axis as the first center to a lock position 2593244 4/1952ram/20 X where the fourth center is offset relative to the center axisof the first center.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures MUSIC STAND This application is a divisionalapplication of pending U.S. Ser. No. 789,180, filed Jan. 6, 1968 nowabandoned.

This invention relates to locks. More particularly, this inventionrelates to a quick release lock for a music stand adapted to positivelyengage a tubular support member with a plate base member when the platebase member is disposed substantially perpendicular to the tubularsupport member.

There are numerous end uses for a quick release lock of the type adaptedto join together a tubular member and a plate member wherein the platemember is positioned substantially perpendicular to the axis of thetubular member. One common use of such a lock is in the area of musicstands. A music stand generally comprises a desk pivotally connected toa tubular support member at one end and a base connected to the tubularsupport member at is other end. The tubular support is verticallypositioned during use and may be made vertically adjustable in atelescoping type action. The desk usually is capable of being angledrelative to the vertical to present the music at the desired attitudepreferred by the musician. The base is generally either of the platetype or of the collapsing tripod type. By the plate type is meant a basethat is relatively flat even though it may take any number of desiredshapes, for example, trifooted, quadrafooted, circular, or the like.

It is most desirable in the case of music stands to provide a structurewhich is readily collapsible into a sufiiciently small or compact spaceso that the stand can be easily transported from one location toanother. The pivotable desk on the music stand permits the desk to bepivoted into a position where the desks back is substantially parallelto the axis of the tubular support member. Also, the tubular supportmember, because of its telescoping type construction, can be compressedtogether into a length almost one-half that of its extended most length.

It is additionally desirable that the base of the music stand beremovable or adjustable so that the plane ofthe base can be positionedparallel to the axis of the tubular support member and parallel to theplane of the desks back. Numerous means have been provided to accomplishthis result and, as mentioned above, such means include collapsibletripod-type legs. However, in the case of plate-type bases, as that termis used in this application, the means known to the prior art arerelatively complex making them expensive to manufacture or difficult tooperate, and/or of questionable service life. One type of such means forplate-type bases involves threading the bottom of the tubular supportmember and threading the base so the two parts can be assembled for useor disassembled for storage. Another type of such means for plate-typebases includes a trigger-type ratchet mechanism mounted to the base thatis adapted to cooperate with teeth on the support post when it isassembled with the base. baseplate cooperating 40.

Therefore, it has been one objective of this invention to provide aquick release lock which permits a tubular member to be positivelyengaged with a plate member when the plate member is disposedsubstantially perpendicular to the tubular member.

It has been another objective of this invention to provide a quickrelease lock that positively relates a tubular member to a plate member,the members being disposed substantially perpendicular to one another,wherein the connection so formed prevents wobbling, wiggling, tipping,slipping, and other undesirable problems which are normally associatedwith the releasable connection of a tubular member to a plate member.

It has been still another objective of this invention to provide a musicstand incorporating the quick release lock of this invention.

These objectives have been attained by providing a quick release lockcomprising, in preferred form, (a) a circular hole in the plate memberin which the tubular member is received, the hole being sized to provideslip fit when the plate member and tubular member are assembled and thehole having a first center that establishes a center axis perpendicularto the plate member, (b) at least two pins mounted to the plate onopposite sides of the hole, the pins being disposed on a circle having asecond center with that second center being offset a small distancerelative to the first center, (c) a lockring rotatable relative to theplate member having a pair of opposed arcuate slots engaged with thepins, the arcuate slots having a common third center which lies on the:same center axis as the second center, and (d) a hole in the lockringthat establishes a fourth center, the fourth center being offset thesame small distance relative to the third center as the second center isoffset from the first center so that as the lockring is rotated relativeto the plate member the fourth center can move from a release positionwhere the fourth center also lies on the same center axis as the firstcenter to a lock position where the fourth center is offset relative tothe center axis of the first center.

Other objectives and advantages oil the invention will be more apparentfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the quick release lock of thisinvention in conjunction with a music stand;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1illustrating the lock in the unlocked position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the lock in the lockedposition;

FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the lock with the relation of the lockringrelative to the baseplate and tubular member overemphasized forillustrative purposes.

As is more particularly illustrated in FIG. 1, the quick release lock 10of this invention has been found to be particularly useful inconjunction with a music stand 11. The usual music stand 11 includes amusic desk 12 having a back 13 and a lip 14 disposed at the lower endthereof. The desk s back 13 is provided with angulated reinforcers 15that cooperate to define a channel 16 within which the top 17 of atubular support 18 is pivotally mounted by pivot pin 19. The tubularsupport 18 includes a top half 20 telescopingly received in a bottomhalf 21, the two halves being held at the desired height by thumbscrew22. The tubular support 18 is retained in fixed engagement with thestands base or plate member 23 by the quick release lock 10. The standsbase or plate member is illustrated as one having three feet 24 andbeing substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tubular member 21.

The quick release lock 10 is particularly illustrated in FIGS. 25 withFIG. 2 illustrating the lock in the open or unlocked position whereatthe tubular member 21 may be engaged with or disengaged from the platemember 23 by a simple sliding motion exercised by hand, that is a slipfit. FIG. 3 illustrates the lock 10 in the locking position whereat thetubular member 21 is positively engaged with the plate member 23 andcannot be removed therefrom.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 41, the quick release lock 10 intimatelyinvolves the plate member 23 which, in the case of the music stand 11,includes the three feet 24 emanating from the center of the base. Theplate member 23 includes a raised central or steppelike portion 31 thatis formed out of and is integral with the general plane of the platemember. The steppe 31 is supported above the plate member 23 by slopingsidewalls 32. A lockring 33 restson, that is, is supported on, thesteppe 31 and is movable relative to both the plate member 23 and thetubular member 21. The lockring 33 provides finger tabs 34 on oppositesides thereof which extend out over the wall 32. Thus, the steppe 31 ofthe baseplate 31 combination with the tabs 34 on the lockring 33 permitsthe lockring to be easily rotated when grasped by a persons fingers whenit is desired to move the lockring from the release position to the lockposition and vice versa.

The baseplate 23 provides a circular hole 35 into which the tubularmember 21 is received. The circular hole 35 is of a diameter just alittle greater than the diameter of the tubular member 21, for example,on the order of one thirty-second inch, so that an easy slip fit isavailable between the tubular member 21 and the plate member 23 when thetwo are either being assembled or disassembled. Also, the first center36 established by the hole 35 gives rise to a center axis 42perpendicular to the plate member 23.

Two pins or leaders 37 are positively and immobily mounted to the platemember 23, as at 46, on opposite sides of the plates hole 35, the pinsbeing disposed on the circumference of and on the same diameter 38 ofcircle 39 which presents a second center 40. The leaders or pins 37 aremounted so that the second center 40 is offset a small distance from theaxis 42 and the first center 36. The pins 37, because they are in theform of rivets in this embodiment, also function to hold the lockring 33in operating engagement with the plate member 23 by means of heads 44extending over the sides of tracks or arcuate slots 45 provided in thelockring.

The lockring 33, as noted, is provided with two tracks or arcuate slots45 positioned on the same circle 39 and located on opposed sides of thatcircles center 40. The width of the tracks or slots 45 is preferablyjust slightly greater than the diameter of the leaders or pins 37 so thelockring 33 can be easily rotated about and guided by the pins withinthe slots. The arcuate slots 45 have a common third center point 48which, when the lockring 33 is positively engaged with the plate member23 by means of the pins 37, lies on the same axis as the second center40. Thus, no matter what the point in rotation of the lockring 33relative to the base plate 23, as guided by and permitted by the lengthof the arcuate slots 45 cooperting with the pins 37, the center 48 ofthe arcuate slots 45 cooperation with the pins 37, the center alwaysremains on the axis of center 40 A hole 49 is also provided in thelockring 33, that hole establishing a fourth center 50. The lockringhole 49 is preferably of the same diameter as the baseplate hole 35,that is, just a little greater than the diameter of the tubular membersuch as on the order of one thirty-second inch, so that an easy slip fitis also available between the tubular member 21 and the lockring 33 whenthe tubular member is being assembled with or disassembled from theplate member 23. A collar 55 is provided around the lockring hole 49 andintegral with the lockring 33 for reinforcing purposes. Also, the collar55 aids in preventing the lockring 33 from damaging the tubular member21 when the quick release lock is repeatedly moved to the lockingposition. However, and most importantly, the center 50 of the lockringhole 49 is slightly offset relative to the third center 48 byapproximately the same distance as the center 36 and 40 are offset sothat as the lockring 33 is rotated relative to the plate member 23 thefourth center canmove from a tubular member 21 release position, seeFIG. 2, whereat the fourth center 50 also lies on the center axis 42, tothe lock position of FIGS. 3 and 4, whereat the vertical axis 52 onwhich the fourth center 50 lies is offset relative to the stationarycenter axis 42 on which the first center 36 always lies.

As is particularly illustrated in FIG, 4, when a music stand 11 isinvolved it is preferred that a tubular socket cup 56 be interconnectedwith the steppe 31 by means of the pins 37 on the side thereof oppositeto that side on which the lockring 33 rests. The inside diameter of thecup 56 is equal to the diameter of the lockring hole 49 and the platemember hole 35, and the axis of the cup is superimposed on the centeraxis 42. Thus, the tubular member 21 of the music stand 11 can be easilyreceived with and supported by the plate member 23 so that the tubularmember is substantially perpendicular to the plate member when the platemember hole 35 and the lockring hole 49 are superimposed exactly, asillustrated in FIG. 2.

In operation, and as is particularly illustrated in FIG. in combinationwith FIGS. 2-4, as the lockring 33 is rotated and guided from itsfurthermost counterclockwise position determined by arcuate slots 45(see FIG. 2), which is the release position, to an intermediate positionwhere the pins 37 are intermediate the length of the slots 45 which isthe lock position (see FIG. 3) the center 50 of lockring hole 49 ismoved relative to the center axis 42 of the plate member hole 35 so thatthe lockring forces the tubular member 21 received within the cup 56(and, therefore, through the plate member hole 35) against the side ofthat hole 35 and side of that cup. Thus, the lockring 33 positivelygrips, by use of frictional force, the tubular member 21 and the platemember 23 together. In the case of music stands, such a quick releaselock has been found to provide good support and rigidity to the musicdesk.

Having described my invention and the preferred embodiment thereof incomplete detail, what I desire to claim and protect by Letters Patentis:

1, A music stand comprising:

a music desk having a back and a lip positioned at the bottom of saidback;

a vertical support pivotally mounted at the top end to the back of saidmusic desk, said support comprising top half adapted to be telescopedinto a bottom half for varying the height of said music desk relative tothe bottom end of said support;

height adjustment means mounted to cooperate with said two halves formaintaining the telescoped position of said two halves relative one tothe. other as desired;

a base for the music stand including a plate member having structuredefining a first hole in said plate member, said first hole being sizedto receive the bottom end of said vertical support in easy slip fit whensaid plate member and said vertical support are assembled, and saidfirst hole having a first center that establishes a center axisperpendicular to said plate member; and

means for locking said vertical support to said base and for verticallylocating and orienting said support relative to said base comprising:

a socket cup having a cylindrical wall and mounted to said plate memberon the underside thereof, said socket cup having a diametersubstantially equal to and being concentric with the hole in said platemember, and said socket cup being adapted to receive the bottom end ofsaid vertical support to locate same vertically and to support same in asubstantially vertical orientation relative to the said music stand'sbase,

a lockring member rotatably mounted to said bases plate member, saidlockring having structure defining a second hole that establishes asecond center that can lie on the center axis, and said second hole alsobeing sized to receive the bottom end of said vertical support in easyslip fit relation, one of said plate and lockring members havingstructure defining at least two arcuate slots therein lying on thecircumference of a first circle, the other of said plate and lockingmembers having at least two pins fixed thereto and lying on secondcircle having a diameter equal to the diameter of said first circle, andthe centers of the first and second holes being offset from the centersof the first and second circles by approximately the same distance,

said plate and lockring members being interconnected by said pins withsaid pins being positioned in said slots such that the centers of thefirst and second circles coincide, and

said lockring member being rotatable on said plate member between arelease position where the centers of the first and second holescoincide such that said vertical support can be easily withdrawn fromassembly with said base, and a lock position where the centers of thefirst and second holes are offset from each other such that saidvertical support can be easily locked against the walls of said socketcup to vertically locate and orient said support in assembly with saidbase.

2. A music stand as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a collar integral with said lockring and disposed about the hole in saidlockring.

3. A music stand as set forth in claim 1 including:

a steppe mounted to and raised out of the general plane of said platemember, said lockring resting on said steppe, and

at leasa one finger tab integral with said lockring and extending overthe walls of said steppe.

1. A music stand comprising: a music desk having a back and a lippositioned at the bottom of said back; a vertical support pivotallymounted at the top end to the back of said music desk, said supportcomprising a top half adapted to be telescoped into a bottom half forvarying the height of said music desk relative to the bottom end of saidsupport; height adjustment means mounted to cooperate with said twohalves for maintaining the telescoped position of said two halvesrelative one to the other as desired; a base for the music standincluding a plate member having structure defining a first hole in saidplate member, said first hole being sized to receive the bottom end ofsaid vertical support in easy slip fit when said plate member and saidvertical support are assembled, and said first hole having a firstcenter that establishes a center axis perpendicular to said platemember; and means for locking said vertical support to said base and forvertically locating and orienting said support relative to said basecomprising: a socket cup having a cylindrical wall and mounted to saidplate member on the underside thereof, said socket cup having a diametersubstantially equal to and being concentric with the hole in said platemember, and said socket cup being adapted to receive the bottom end ofsaid vertical support to locate same vertically and to support same in asubstantially vertical orientation relative to the said music stand''sbase, a lockring member rotatably mounted to said base''s plate member,said lockring having structure defining a second hole that establishes asecond center that can lie on the center axis, and said second hole alsobeing sized to receive the bottom end of said vertical support in easyslip fit relation, one of said plate and lockring members havingstructure defining at least two arcuate slots therein lying on thecircumference of a first circle, the other of said plate and lockingmembers having at least two pins fixed thereto and lying on secondcircle having a diameter equal to the diameter of said first circle, andthe centers of the first and second holes being offset from the centersof the first and second circles by approximately the same distance, saidplate and lockring members being interconnected by said pins with saidpins being positioned in said slots such that the centers of the firstand second circles coincide, and said lockring member being rotatable onsaid plate member between a release position where the centers of thefirst and second holes coincide such that said vertical support can beeasily withdrawn from assembly with said base, and a lock position wherethe centers of the first and second holes are offset from each othersuch that said vertical support can be easily locked against the wallsof said socket cup to vertically locate and orient said support inassembly with said base.
 2. A music stand as set forth in claim 1further comprising: a collar integral with said lockring and disposedabout the hole in said lockring.
 3. A music stand as set forth in claim1 including: a steppe mounted to and raised out of the general plane ofsaid plate member, said lockring resting on said steppe, and at leastone finger tab integral with said lockring and extending over the wallsof said steppe.